Dropping Wireless

[Gongalong]

Hi folks,

 

Not a school issue, a "home" issue.

 

I'm currently abroad at my in-laws. They're using an ISP (Vivo) provided wireless router, which is a rebadged D-Link DMG-6661.

 

The wireless to my laptop drops fairly regularly, but all I have to do is reconnect and off it goes again. Annoying!

 

Laptop is using an Intel Centrino N-1000 wireless chipset with 8.1. I've updated to the latest driver from the Intel site, no change.

 

I do have an old Linksys WRT54G stashed here somewhere.

 

Is there anything I can do to stabilise the D-Link, or am I better to just connect the Linksys to it and use that?

 

TIA

[ellsandell]

Have you tried resetting the router?

 

 

Elliot

[Gongalong]

I've turned it off-and-on-again. No change.

[ellsandell]

Sorry I meant reset back to factory settings?

[Gongalong]

I'm not sure I can because it's ISP provided. I can't log in to it yet, so will need to call the ISP.

[m25man]

Sounds like a classic case of "N" syndrome on 2.4Ghz

 

Your Intel Wifi is capable of 300Mbps on 2.4ghz

Your Router is also capable of N speeds on 2.4Ghz however if you have several devices working on the same router operating at lower speeds or deprecated encryption such as WPA your laptop NIC will eventually choke!

 

The fact is cheap consumer routers with built in WiFi simply don't have the power to process more than a few devices when under heavy load.

 

Using 40Mhz channels on 2.4Ghz is really a waste of time it just causes more interference than it's worth and mixed devices just don't like it!

 

The only data I can find for the Vivo DMG-6661 is in Portuguese for the Brazilian market?

I'm guessing there isn't any updated firmware for it?

 

Your best bet is to dump the whole thing and replace it. If that's not an option turn off the wireless and fit a decent AP to the router instead.

 

If neither is an option, turn off the 40Mhz channel option if enabled, use WPA2 AES only and hope everything else will work in harmony at around 75Mbps because that's about all your going to get out of it.

 

If the wifi only offers 1 Channel, 1 encryption mode and limited speed options the more consistent the connection will be.

Bottom line the router doesn't have the underlying processing power to handle the tasks thrown at it, the Centrino chipset doesn't like what its seeing/hearing so gives up!

 

Linux users have suffered constantly with this Centrino chipset, Intel have done what they can to drive it but consistently poor domestic hardware and intolerable levels of 2.4Ghz interference limits it.

 

It doesn't help when Virginmedia engineers seem to set every VM hub to the same channel and 40Mhz in my street!

 

I've moved everything to 5ghz .ac on Unifi now... 100Mb Broadband sweet!

[Gongalong]

9-year old Linksys is working fine :-)

[jonspurs]

Or buy a USB wifi dongle and not use the Intel Wifi. Think around £10. I rate LinkSys stuff though...reliable experience. Stay clear of NetGear!

[Gongalong]

I was under the impression that Linksys had died for some reason. Never seem to see their hardware any more.

 

This 9-year old router still fab though.

[tmcd35]

I was under the impression that Linksys had died for some reason. Never seem to see their hardware any more.

 

AFAIK, Linksys was bought by Cisco years ago, they are now used as Cisco's budget branding.

[Gongalong]

Are they still any good, or taken a quality nosedive?

[tmcd35]

To be honest, no idea. I've always viewed them as an ok consumer brand rather than prosumer. I suppose 'it's Cisco' might mean something?

[Arthur]

I was under the impression that Linksys had died for some reason. Never seem to see their hardware any more.

Linksys was bought by Cisco years ago, they are now used as Cisco's budget branding.

FWIW, Belkin bought Linksys way back in March 2013 from Cisco.

 

I suppose 'it's Cisco' might mean something?

Nope! Nothing at all.

[jonspurs]

I had an old LinkSys WAG354G which worked for years...until the power adaptor started playing up. I could have got a PSU replacement but fancied an upgrade.

 

With Amazon black friday, I bought a Netgear DGND4000 for around £60 - NETGEAR DGND4000-100UKS N750 Dual Band Wireless ADSL2+ Modem Router for Phone Line Connections: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

 

But it constantly dropped wifi...only when I googled it up, I found it's a common problem.

 

RMA'd that crap and got a LinkSys X3500 for around £70 - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Linksys-X3500-Wireless-Router-ADSL2/dp/B00BMPB4TS

 

And it's been rock solid. I've not had to turn it off and on/reboot it at all...touchwood.